Writer James Pruett (X-Men Unlimited, Black Mist, Negative Burn) and Italian artist Federico De Luca (Creepy) join forces to introduce the reality warping psychological thriller MINDBENDER releasing this May from Scout Comics.

“This is a story that has been in the back of my mind percolating for about 25 years”, said Pruett. “I started it numerous times before but have never been able to complete it as other projects or editorial demands- first at Caliber, then Tusk and now Scout always seemed to take priority.”

MINDBENDER follows Alex Oberman, who witnessed the gruesome deaths of his parents at the age of seven in a horrendous explosion caused by his own hands-or to be more precise-his own mind. This tragedy caused him to slip into a catatonic state and he withdrew into himself. For over 16 years, Alex didn’t utter a single word or have a voluntary movement of his own until he suddenly awakens and finds himself welding god-like power. Possessing the physical form of a 23 year old, but the mental capacity of a 7 year old he isn’t sure how to properly harness his new-found abilities and he seeks sanctuary and wisdom from a small collected group of misfits and outcasts that seemed to be expecting his ascension. Alex finds many questions swirling through his mind, but none more poignant than whether his diagnosed insanity was, in actuality, his salvation from the madness that seems to run rampant through this new world he finds himself in. In fact, the more he discovers, the more he begins to wonder that perhaps it is not him that suffers from insanity, but that the entire world itself has fallen into the realms of madness.

 “I was introduced to the artist, Federico De Luca, by my twin brother and Publisher of Aftershock, Joe Pruett, and we really hit it off. I have to say the artwork he has been producing for MINDBENDER has blown me away. I think it’s the best work he’s ever done and I’m thrilled that he agreed to work on this with me. I think readers will feel the same and he’ll become a fan favorite and go on to great things in the future.”

Perfect for fans of INCEPTION, UNBREAKABLE, LEGION and the OA, MINDBENDER is a thought-provoking journey through the realms of reality and madness exploring the potential power lying dormant in the human mind and the barriers that separate our world from the worlds between worlds both mentally and dimensionally.